A painting of a landscape with gothic ruins on the left side, a river in the centre and a tree on the right
Podcast, 57 mins

Editing The Italian

Professor Michael Gamer shares his expertise on, and experience of editing, Radcliffe's The Italian, or the Confessional of the Black Penitents.

Professor Michael Gamer recently completed the mammoth task of editing Radcliffe's The Italian, or the Confessional of the Black Penitents for publication as part of The Cambridge Edition of the Works of Ann Radcliffe.

In this episode, he reflects on this process, provides insight into Radcliffe's contemporary reception, and explains how a handful of negative reviews impacted the novel's early reception. He discusses the unique villainy of the novel's antagonist, Schedoni, and makes a case for the significance and genius of The Italian.

Ultimately, Professor Gamer explains why The Italian should take pride of place on your reading list.

Credits

Correct as of content publication - 07/08/2025

See also